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Ingrid Flores
DTiR ATG 2016-‐2017 Final Report
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were presented to the public in 2013.
Some California school districts became early implementers of the NGSS, while some deferred their implementation due to ongoing work with the Common Core State Standards in math and English Language Arts. However, the State expects implementation of the NGSS starting in Fall 2017. Therefore, CA school districts are expected to train their teachers for full implementation by this deadline. With this implementation pending, I chose to work with the Poway Unified School District to support NGSS professional development to K-‐5 science teachers. The purpose of the grant, Developing NGSS Understanding Through Lesson Study, was to first develop understanding of the standards through varous all-‐day workshops focusing on different elements of the NGSS and second, to provide opportunities for the participating teachers to create NGSS-‐aligned science curriculum for dissemination to their school site peers. A third expectation was to immerse the project participants in hands-‐on exporatory science activities to develop conceptual understanding in science. In collaboration with the Executive Director of Learning Support Services for PUSD, I planned five all-‐day workshops that were held from 8 am-‐3 pm during AY 2016-‐2017. As well, a Professional Growth Day event and a principals training event were added to the plan. The participants in the projects were one teacher selected from each of the 26 PUSD elementary schools by the Executive Director. These teachers represented their respective school as a science specialist-‐in-‐training for his/her school. The workshops consisted of intensive professional development in NGSS-‐aligned activities, but also had some brief informational sessions relevant to the teachers’ district. However, the workshops focused mainly on a science related agenda. Every workshop was planned through face-‐to-‐face and telephone meetings with the Executive Director throughout the project and resulted in an agenda for each workshop session.
Athough I did not know prior to the project, the PUSD budget allowed for providing substitute teachers for the 26 elementary teacher participants in the ATG project. However, due to unforeseen budget constraints during the academic year, the district was able to provide only five dates for the workshops over AY 2016-‐2017 and a Professional Growth Day that was an extension of one of the workshops. These professional development opportunities called for subsitute teachers to cover the teacher participants’ classes during the workshops. The number of workshop days was limited due to both lack of availability of substitutes as well as budget constraints in the number of days to employ the subsitutes. However, in spite of these challenges, the overall project outcomes were a noteworthy success. I designed workshop activities to first focus on developing understanding of the three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards: 1) Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs); 2) Cross Cutting Concepts (CCCs), and 3) Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs). This training is essential to begin working through understanding with the standards for one of the goals of the project-‐-‐creating NGSS-‐aligned science curriculum. Three workshops focused on activities aimed at the DCIs and CCCs but included activities on the SEPs. All remaining workshop sessions included the learning from the first three workshops and continued to develop the Science and Engineeing Practices. The SEPs are known to challenge elementary teachers due to their lack of understanding what engineering practices “look like” in a K-‐5 or K-‐8 setting. Therefore, one of the specific goals of all workshop sessions was to include the enactment of engineering practices. For example, there was an activity on creating a shock absorbing system
for a lunar lander, while another focused on creating batteries and electrical circuits with lemons, galvanized nails, and copper wires. Because there were district budget constraints that determined how many days were accommodated for the project workshops, it was not possible to implement the lesson study component of the project. This was described in the proposal as a process in which small groups of teachers in a given grade level cooperatively write a lesson and implement the lesson cyclically in each of the teachers’ classrooms while the other teacher-‐collaborators observe, take notes, and refine the lesson collaboratively. The lesson study element would have required at least four more full days and 26 substitutes more for each of the four extra days. Therefore, the Executive Director suggested that the 26 teachers create grade level lessons to implement in their own classrooms during their inservice time. To this end, the teachers created lessons based on the 5-‐E model that I taught them. These lessons were uploaded to MYConnect, the learning management system that PUSD teachers use to post resources for teaching personnel and for them to access professional development resources. Until the end of the Spring 2017 semester, teachers continue to refine and upload their lessons. One of the most memorable and productive events in the project was Professional Growth Day on January 18, 2017. This event consisted of all 700 PUSD K-‐5 teachers divided among 7 specific elementary schools. The 26 participant teachers (site science leaders) were divided among the 7 schools as were the 26 principals. At the same time, all 700 teachers were receiving professional development consisting of the hands-‐on science lessons created by the participant teacher teams. The event was exciting, amazing, and I was very proud to see the learning in the workshops up to that time being applied with all 700 PUSD elementary teachers. The 26 teacher participants did an excellent job in this event! Professional Growth Day is an event that is provided to all 26 elementary school sites, and teachers decide what they woud like to learn. In relation to my project, the Executive Director and I planned this day as an extension of the NGSS workshop on the previous day. The Executive Director informed me that the principals from the 26 participating elementary schools were highly complimentary of the Professional Growth Day event, but were just as excited about the learning from the NGSS workshops that their respective science leader (n=26) were sharing with their school site teaching peers. Therefore, the Executive Director asked me if I was willing to engage the 26 principals in hands-‐on NGSS activities that were reflective of concepts that the 26 science leaders were learning. I decided that I would have them engage in science and engineering practices activities that allowed them to experience the kinds of learning their science leaders were exposed to during th workshops. One activities I chose were creating a shock absorbing system for a lunar lander using specific items provided to them. The other activity was creating a bridge using only toothpicks and school glue with the goal of supporting weights up to 20 pounds when tested. My objective was for the principals to learn how to support their teachers in science activities, as science requires lots of preparation and materials that need to be purchased. Teachers need to feel supported in their preparation for teaching science. A survey was disseminated to the teachers, but as of the submission date for this final report, only 10 teachers have responded. I am submitting this report somewhat late as I am still waiting for the remaining 16 teachers to respond to the survey on Google Forms. The survey has responses for the 10 responders and is included in this report. The workshop agendas for the workshops is also included in the final report. Another document that provide evidence of the workshop outcomes is a complimentary letter writing by the Executor Director of Learning Services for PUSD descring what was accomplished during the workshops and most importantly, the effects of the workshops on PUSD getting ready to go into full NGSS implementation in Fall 2017. Mission accomplished!
Ingrid Flores
NGSS Workshop 1 Agenda October 7, 2016
8:00-‐8:15: Science quotes activity 8:15-‐8:30: Overview of sessions 8:30-‐8:45: Daily Science and technology decisions 8:45-‐9:45: Examining the standards activity 9:45-‐10: Break 10-‐10:45: Three dimensional learning What is the purpose of curriculum standards? Structure of NGSS definition activity 10:45-‐11:00: Analogy Activity 11:00-‐11:45: Lesson Sketch and cross curricular integration 11:45-‐12:00: Debrief 12:00-‐1:00: Lunch 1:00-‐1:20: Overview of professional growth day 1:20-‐1:50: Brainstorming for professional growth day small group-‐Present ideas 1:50-‐2:20: Whole group discussion 2:20-‐2:45: Next Steps, what now, needs, wants, clarifications, thoughts
Ingrid Flores
NGSS Workshop 2 Agenda
November 3, 2016
8-‐9:00 am: Opening Activity Cross Cutting Cconcepts 9:00-‐10:00 am: Extracting DNA Activity
• Learning how to use a compound microscope using virtual tutorial and virtual microscope.
• Microscope to view the extracted DNA material 10:00-‐10:15 am: The Nature of Science presentation
10:15 am: Break
10:30-‐10:45 am: MyConnect Learning Management System 10:45-‐12 pm: Citizen Science and lesson based on the topic
• Work with grade level • Use individual laptops to explore citizen science sites • Create a lesson sketch
12-‐12:30 Lunch break 12:30-‐2:30 Professional Growth Day Preparation Progress reports by Executive Director of Learning Supports: Cindy Le Clercq
• Plan final format preparation • Lesson Plans need to be submitted to MyConnect • Lesson planning support by Dr. Flores • Masters to copy and materials • Links to NGSS resources
Needs and To-‐Dos • Microscopes and slides • Strawberries • Copies • http://concord.org/ngss/ • copies of NGSS standards • transition document
Ingrid Flores
NGSS Workshop 3 Agenda
January 12, 2017
8:00-‐ 8:30 am: Cross Cutting Concepts Activity
8:30-‐ 10 am: Light Exploration/Concepts of Light
10-‐ 10:15 am: Break
10:15 am-‐ 12 pm: Lunar Lander Activity
12-‐1:00 pm: Lunch
1:00-‐2:00 pm: Disciplinary Core Ideas Activity
1-‐2:30 pm: Teacher Science Lesson Planning
1:30-‐3:00 pm: Finalizing Professional Growth Day Activities and Resources
Ingrid Flores
POWAY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Elementary Professional Growth Day
January 13, 2017 Principal Groups
GRADE LEVEL HOSTING SITE PRINCIPAL GROUPS
TK/K Contacts: PE: Lynnette McDonnell Science: Julie Mori
Midland Sidia Martinez – Lead Principal Ricardo Cecena Deanne McLaughlin Rhonda Taylor Tina Ziegler
1 Contacts: PE: Julie Takeshita Science: Pat West
Willow Grove Amy Huff – Lead Principal Sal Embry Joe Erpelding Doug Johnson
2 Contacts: PE: Cyndi McClelland Science: Stephanie Vasquez
Adobe Bluffs Eddie Park – Lead Principal Mark Atkins Laura Crow Christine Donnelly
3 Contacts: PE: Lauren LeMaster Science: Linda Rasmussen
Canyon View Megan Battle – Lead Principal Mike Mosgrove Bob Rodrigo Terry Worthington
4 Contacts: PE: Louie Martinez Science: Sylvie Evans
Painted Rock Denise Davis – Lead Principal Mandy Bedard Rhiannon Buhr Gail West
5 Contacts: PE: Margaret Epperson Science: Kara Fradsham
Stone Ranch Lisa Danzer – Lead Principal Ann Auten Libby Keller Jennie Mikels Cindy Venolia
NGSS Workshop 4 Agenda March 9, 2017
PUSD Union Office
Ingrid Flores
NGSS Workshop 4 Agenda 11031 Via Frontera
Welcome Activity: 8-‐8:15 am Break the Code Activity: 8:15-‐8:45 am Science and Engineering Practices Brainstorm and Sort Activity: 8:45-‐10:00 am Break: 10-‐10:15 am Whale Activity 10:15-‐10:30 am Teacher Science Lesson Planning: 10:30 am-‐12 pm Lunch: 12-‐1:00 pm Science and Engineering Practices Stations Rotations Activity: 1:00-‐3:00 pm
Ingrid Flores
NGSS Workshop 5 Agenda
April 6, 2017
Welcome Activity: 8-‐8:15 am Cross Cutting Concepts Activities: 8:15-‐8:45 am Science and Engineering Practices Activities: 8:45-‐10:00 am Break: 10-‐10:15 am Disciplinary Core Ideas Activities 10:15-‐10:45 am Creating Electrical Circuits Activities: 10:45 am-‐12 pm Lunch: 12-‐1:00 pm
Lemon Batteries Activity: 1:00-‐3:00 pm
Ingrid Flores
NGSS Workshop Agenda
PUSD Elementary Principals Training April 20, 2017
Scientist quotes: 7:30-‐7: 50 am NGSS Conceptual Shifts activity: 7:50-‐8:20 am NGSS overview: 8:20-‐9:00 am Break: 9:00-‐9:15 am Lunar landing Activity: 9:15-‐ 10:15 am Break: 10:15-‐10:30 am Toothpick Bridge Activity: 10:30 am-‐ 12 noon
• Consider the current shifts in science education. • Reflect on classroom practices for teaching and learning in the sciences. • Discuss three dimensional learning per NGSS • Discuss how a classroom might look different with the new NGSS
Ingrid Flores May 2017
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Assigned Time Grant Project Next Generation Science Standards Workshops Survey
Long Answer Text Items: 1. What was most valuable to you in our six meetings/workshops? 2. What activities have you tried in your classroom? 3. What aspect of learning do you feel you need more time with? 4. What does science look like now in your classroom compared to August 2016? 5. What will you do differently next school year? 6. What else do you need go move forward as a science leader at your school site? 7. What do you want in terms of more training and professional development next year? Multiple Choice Items: 8. Compared to the beginning of the Next Generation Science Standards workshops in Fall 2016, how has your science content knowledge increased as of April 2017? _____ Significantly (5) _____ Somewhat (5) _____ Not at all 9. How has your confidence for science teaching increased due to the NGSS workshops ? _____ Significantly (3) _____ Somewhat (7) _____ Not at all 10. To what degree have the NGSS workshops helped you in your science lesson planning? _____ Significantly (7) _____ Somewhat (3) _____ Not at all 11. To what degree did the NGSS workshops stimulate your science learning? _____ Significantly (8) _____ Somewhat (2) _____ Not at all 12. To what degree did the NGSS workshops lived up to your expectations? _____ Significantly (8) _____ Somewhat (2) _____ Not at all
Ingrid Flores May 2017
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Long Answer Text Items Responses 1. What was most valuable to you in our six meetings/workshops?
Learning about new resources and the new "structure" of NGSS lessons. The collaboration with people who were excited about science! Hands on activities Getting to collaborate with colleagues about lesson planning, resources, and implementation. Time to spend looking into Science lessons and talking with other teachers around the district to see what science is like at their school. Networking with colleagues, training on new NGSS integrated standards, time to develop and test lesson plans Time to collaborate with colleagues and the hands-on science The opportunity to collaborate with colleagues at other sites and the resources to take back and immediately share with the other teachers. Better understanding of the key components of the NGSS standards Collaboration and lesson plan format
2. What activities have you tried in your classroom? The new lesson format and the Jell-O earthquake activity. Clouds in a bottle, mystery science. Slides and other Mystery Science activities Mad Science Mystery science and hands on experiences, more Engineering projects. Integrated lessons plans that follow the new NGSS format Anything related to Mystery Science A few lessons from Mystery Science to try it out. For this past year, I've still been using the experiments from the Harcourt science book. a number of engineering activities, and the weather and sound Mystery Science lessons Mystery science
3. What aspect of learning do you feel you need more time with? Finding a consistent curriculum that could help me get my school/team on board. Getting more comfortable with the standards at the primary level. More time to develop lessons for units that are new to my grade. Time to plan more units. I had a great physical science unit with activities, mystery science. I'd like more time to develop more earth and life science units. Continued work developing lessons plans, networking with grade level partners from district, training to help ease the tension of change among our peers Pooling resources together Finding more easy-to-use activities that support the new standards, apart from the ones found on Mystery Science. Also, building excitement at my site about the new standards. Lesson planning and looking for appropriate resources Unpacking the NGSS standards
4. What does science look like now in your classroom compared to August 2016? It is more hands on and we are using a variety of new resources (instead of Science books) We are doing about the same, But I love science.
Ingrid Flores May 2017
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Much more engaging More hands on, more student lead, more inquiry, less front loading More hands on, exploring and designing. More working together and trying things over and over. Hands on; Inquiry based; Collaborative; Messy and Fun More integrated with ELA More hands-on learning and higher student engagement! More time for student exploration, and student generated inquiry questions that promote individual research and classroom presentations. Thematic engineering tasks that coordinate with current units of study. inquiry based, asking questions, exploring, doing!
5. What will you do differently in your science teaching next school year?
I will feel confident enough to supplement with my own materials and do hands on activities (like Mystery Science) in the new exploration structure. I would like more science center opportunities. Begin the year with this science. Fully switch over to a science notebook. The structure and purpose of my student notebooks will look different then they do now, more aligned with what we learned about in our sessions. Continue to build upon what I started this year and to add to it. Not so much differently just more of what Iʼve already started doing More integration Implement the NGSS completely instead of just using it as a supplement to our old standards. Add the use of science notebooks as an assessment tool. Plan more thematic units that are cross curricular. Create a gofund account or donors choose to purchase science and engineering equipment
6. What else do you need go move forward as a science leader at your school site?
To figure out a way to get the staff onboard. Just curriculum More time to explore resources to present to staff, time to talk with my staff about changes in science Time to develop units and research ideas Time.....as always Resources to help all teachers. Another year of learning with passionate colleagues. It so inspiring to be around other teachers who are motivated to try something new! Time to meet with staff and share appropriate resources. The ability to co-teach or model lessons for those hesitant to jump in. Materials, resources, space for a science/ stem lab, time to plan (please continue with xplo and let us plan for science inquiry!), PD opportunities, TLC
7. What do you want in terms of more training and professional development next year? Figuring out how to involve other staff members into our learning so that they can feel confident enough to try things in their classroom. I liked the way it was structured this year. I like the hands on, would like more tactile resources. I liked having examples of activities to take and try. I would like more actitvity ideas aligned with my grade. I valued and would like to have more collaboration creating lessons, sharing ideas, and
Ingrid Flores May 2017
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exploring resources. Time to develop more units. It takes time to research ideas and put them in sequential order for what makes sense in a unit. Training, model examples, development of lessons to share and show how what many are already doing just needs to be tweaked a bit to fit new standards Creating a bank of tried and true units. Much like the time this year. With all of the elementary sites using Mystery Science next year, it will be even easier to collaborate on what lessons work well or suggestions for changes. Many teachers also pull lessons from other resources and those are always good to share. Continue to unpack the standards, continue to plan units, but broaden the scope to include more examples of how the science might connect to ELA, math, and social studies. Continue to identify useful resources across all grade levels.